I woke up in Terminal C of Denver International Airport, having slept on the floor, beneath unforgiving lights. Because people are afraid of each other, I spent another two days stealth camped outside of a UPS store. Waiting for things you aren’t supposed to bring on an airplane. Trekking poles, tent stakes, a pocket knife. […]
Tag: stealth camping
Beach Bum, Seaside, Oregon
At the last minute, I headed to the Oregon coast in an attempt to see the Perseid meteor shower. To lay on the beach and watch magic sparkle across the night sky. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, the clouds rolled in, covering the stars. I fell asleep to the soothing rhythm of […]
Stealth Camping Cascade Locks, Oregon
“Why something instead of nothing?” A hiker named Late Night asked, as we lounged on the sidewalk, in the shade, in front of the grocery store. He was drinking a six pack of beer, I was working on my second half gallon of milk. And because of that, I missed my bus to Portland, and […]
Stealth Camping Sedona
Nestled in the tranquil shade, far from the bustle of civilization, I surrendered to sleep. For days on end, I followed a routine: stash my belongings in a tree, hike miles to the trailhead, and catch the shuttle into Sedona. After only a few hours in town, replenishing water, savoring a meal, I’d board the […]
Reflections
I got lost on the Florida Trail, and a month and a half later, found myself in Flagstaff, Arizona. I’d gotten used to being off social media, and coming back was a harder decision than it should have been. I’d had such a great time with so many incredible people that it felt disrespectful for […]
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
Long days of rhythmic, meditative footsteps across unfamiliar terrain allow for easy access to mystic-lite states of consciousness. Where the balance between the internal and external experience is a sort of perpetual motion, a physical reflection of the inner need for exploration, growth, and understanding. But then again, I’m a romantic. This idealized view of […]
Northbound from Key West, Florida
It took two days to reach the southern most point of the Continental United States, only to then immediately turn around, hiking north on the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. A new beginning, to see Florida again with fresh eyes. Two days more of pounding pavement, back to the Seven Mile Bridge, where cars rush […]
Stealth Camping Sabino Canyon
Gratitude washed over me as the sun reclaimed the Santa Catalina Mountains. The persistent chill and dampness had worn on me, prompting daydreams of warmer, heavier gear. On a cold and breezy morning descent from Mt. Lemmon, my focus wasn’t on miles but on descending to Hutch’s Pool. I yearned to warm up, spread out […]
Discovery Trail, Washington
It was time to begin retracing his steps southward. Each footfall carried an air of determination as he followed the Discovery Trail along the rugged coast. He trekked, a solitary figure tracing his destiny upon the sands, the ceaseless waves his only companion. His stride brought him to a point where further coastal advance was […]
Stealth Camping Warrenton, OR
Write a caption… Instagram says. I fixate on that sentence, its weight heavy as a cold case file, gripping me for an eternity as I wait for elusive words that seem to have abandoned me. I’m trapped in this limbo, sifting through a maze of conjectures, each pathway a potential solution to unravel the enigma […]